Two cities. So close yet so far apart. One traditional, the other modern. The bustling against the sleepy. As two neighbouring cities, Amsterdam, the capital city of the Royal Kingdom of Netherlands and neighbouring The Hague, the country's third largest city, should share traits. A heart, they are the same. Both exhibit the warm and laid-back mien of the Dutch, a welcoming ambience of warmth that is as diverse in outlook as it is unique in character.

For someone familiar with Europe, Amsterdam manages to avoid the strikingly similar architecture and landscape that connect the continent's major cities, not excluding the disarmingly beautiful Paris. The windmills that dot the highway as you exit Schiphol Airport, the beautifully landscaped and manicured farms, the tolerant drivers, the eye-catching historical sights, the ubiquitous bicycle-loving people and the ever-present meadows speak of a unique country with a warm heart and a welcoming soul. The Hague, seat of the International Court of Justice, shares similar traits with the capital city. But unlike the tourist-filled streets of Amsterdam, The Hague is more reticent as if offering succour from Amsterdam's boisterous spirit. Driving past the non-descript Scheveningen Prison at the The Hague, where those detained by the ICJ are held, you get a fleeting sense of history, awe even. Of how swift the wheels of justice can be, how ephemeral life is and of being part of history in the making, even as a an accidental bystander.

Nowhere is this marriage between the modern and the traditional more obvious than at The Hague's History of the Steigenberger Kurhaus Hotel. This dated seaside hotel manages to be modern and ancient without sacrificing either. Steigenberger Kurhaus is a 200 year-old hotel than manages to retain its ancient architecture and design while keeping a firm grip on the trappings of modern times. Images of the past seamlessly combine with those of the present.

Pictures on the wall speak of a period when the Beetles and the Rolling Stones played concerts within its aged walls. Others show former cold war enemies sharing accommodation at the Kurhaus Hotel. Marlène Dietrich, Emperer Hirohito of Japan, President Coty, Koning Haakon of Norway and Henry Kissinger of the US are key historical figures that have enjoyed the ambience of this lovely hotel. At night the beach behind the hotel becomes transformed into a beehive of revelry as upmarket bars strive to meet the needs of their discerning clientele, again illustrating the kaleidoscope that is The Hague. This was the backdrop of the Nigerian-Netherlands Business and Investment Summit which held at the Hague between the 4th and 6th of June 2013.

Being an excellent salesman is a not a prerequisite for being a good governor. Certainly, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed didn't advertise that quality while running for office in 2011. But since becoming the Executive Governor of the State, Alhaji Ahmed has become a quintessential salesman in his efforts to diversify the economy and make Kwara a top investment destination in Nigeria and the sub-region.

This much was evident at The Hague where Governor Ahmed led a delegation from the state. And the audience was certainly right for a concerted investment pitch. Themed "Partnership in Development", the event, which held at the prestigious The Forum at The Hague, had in attendance major companies including Heineken, Shell and Friesland Campina, who have significant presence in Nigeria, Sea Trucks Group, Vlisco, Boers, Veka, Boskalis, Philips, Royal Haskoning DHV, Damen, Nigerian Stock Exchange, UBA, and a host of other Nigerian and Dutch companies.

Official presence at the event was no less stellar. Joining Governor Ahmed in the investment drive was his counterpart from Sokoto, Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko, Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun, who was represented, Minister for Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe, Minister for Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, the Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr, Kingsley Moghalu and Chief Kola Jamodu, President of Manufacturer's Association of Nigeria.

Setting the ball rolling, Dr. N. Akambi, the Nigerian Ambassador to Netherlands, who co-organised the event, said the Forum was designed to highlight the abundant business and investment opportunities available in Nigeria. For her, Netherlands as a trading nation, and Nigeria, a country with vast economic potential, have several possible areas of mutually-beneficial partnership. She stressed that Netherlands has traditionally been a strong economic partner for Nigeria and expressed optimism that this will continue. Taking a cue from that, Governor Ahmed wasted no time in emphasising to the audience of businessmen and investors, the enormous businessn and investment opportunities available in Kwara State.

"Before delving into our investment potentials, let me give you a brief insight into those attributes that recommend Kwara State as an investment destination. Geographically, we are the 9th largest state in Nigeria by landmass with approximately two million hectares of arable Land. We have a population of approximately 3.1m, about of fifty six per cent whom are in 15 – 64 age range, meaning that a majority of our population is economically active".

Additionally, almost half of the entire population is in the agriculture value chain, which demonstrates the existence in Kwara State of a structured approach to commercial agriculture that can be leverage upon by commercial agriculture and allied businesses"

Continuing, Kwara State, he said, also boasts of infrastructural facilities that are beneficial to commercial agriculture, industrialisation, and other commercial ventures such as 417km of motorable roads, an international airport with the longest runway outside Lagos and extensive energy infrastructure. According to Governor Ahmed, Kwara is strategically located as the gateway to the north and south, which makes for easy transportation of farm produce and other goods to the domestic market, Europe and other parts of the world.

"Our strategic location is also supported by an Aviation Cargo Terminal with the only wet cargo station in the country. The implication of this is two-fold. First, investors in our agriculture sector can store their produce in the terminal pending the evacuation of such produce by air. This facility will therefore be of interest to commercial farmers seeking swift transfer of produce to markets around the world and will be a vital tool for the prevention of post-harvest loss.

"Second, our location as a strong alternative transportation hub to Lagos means that the Cargo Terminal provides huge opportunities for lucrative investment in the cargo and haulage business especially in view of the potentials of domestic and foreign cargo operators in Nigeria. With regard to the Cargo Terminal and other ventures in the state, we are open to concession arrangements but will consider other investment options under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) framework".

Not done, Alhaji Ahmed turned to Agriculture in which he aid the state was a front runner. "Following the success of the New Nigerian Farmers Project with the Zimbabwean Farmers and on the back of our MOU with Cornell University, New York for the Kwara State Agricultural Modernisation Masterplan (KAMP), we are extending commercial agriculture across the state through a model of 10 farmers per local government. These farmers, classified as out growers, have been compartmentalised into our four major crops: Rice, Maize, Soya and Cassava and are the nucleus of the Off-Taker Agricultural Demand Driven Scheme"

Apart from commercial agriculture, the power sector in Kwara State is another potential area of exponential growth. Following the unbundling of Nigeria's energy sector, I am happy to report that we establishing an Independent Power Plant (IPP) as a PPP venture to generate 100MW of electricity. Our decision was based on feedback from the business community on the need to support our emerging industrial clusters with constant electricity to grow the sector and attract additional investors, besides our determination to accelerate economic growth.

For this purpose, we seek partnerships in terms of infrastructure for gas supply as well as in the structures for extending the capacity of the plant beyond the 100MW. .

Identifying other opportunities in the manufacturing sector, Governor Ahmed specific opportunities in the manufacturing sector include restructuring & acquisition of state-owned entities, agro-processing such as Ethanol & other biofuel, Rice & Shea Butter, Fruit juice production, Cassava & Soya beans, Sorghum, Sugar. "Indeed, Dangote Industries, one of Nigeria's biggest industrial concerns, has recognized the huge opportunity and is establishing a $650 Sugar Plant in Kwara and two other states. This will be Dangote Industries' second manufacturing plant in Kwara State."

Inevitably, the issue of manpower came up for during a panel discussion featuring Ahmed, Aganga, Ochekpe, Moghalu and Jamodu. Responding to an enquiry on Nigeria's readiness to provide market-relevant skills for existing and potential investors, Governor Ahmed pointed to his administration's deliberate emphasis on entrepreneurship and vocational training as a solution to this challenge and support the informal sector. "In Kwara State, we are trying to fill the gaps in middle-level manpower through the promotion of vocational training. In view of this, we have established the International Vocational Centre, Ajasse-Ipo to train our youths in critical vocational skills. The curriculum has been diesigned in consultation with NECA based on perceived market needs and will be moderated by City and Guilds of London to ensure that its graduates are marketable locally, nationally and internationally. Graduates of the Vocational Centre, like those of accredited skill acquisition centres, will then form cooperatives on whose platform they will access affordable credit under our revolving micro credit intervention scheme".

Not surprisingly, security was a major concern for the potential investors at the forum in view of recent happenings in the northern part of the country. Aganga, Ochepke and Ahmed disagreed with a participants view the security challenges confronting the country were scaring potential investors away from the country.

While acknowledging these challenges, Governor Ahmed said they existed in other parts of the country and countered that the Western media has exaggerated and sensationalised the situation. Ochekpe supported this position by stressing that the Federal Government has put measures in place to rectify the situation and pledged government's readiness to secure the lives of Nigerians and foreigners no matter where they are based in the country.

In the breakout session that followed, the Governors and the ministers held private sessions investors who had declared interest in investing in various sectors of the country's economy. Among other's Governor Ahmed met with a representative of Philips which had earlier indicated interest in setting up a factory in the state. Overall, the three-day forum was suffused with tangible enthusiasm and optimism wfor the future of Nigeria. As Governor Ahmed rounded up, his message was:
Those who take the initiative and invest in Nigeria's power and agriculture sector now will be the successful investors of tomorrow, pointing to the success recorded in the country's telecoms sector.